Category: Civil Architecture > Museum
District: Aveiro > Santa Maria da Feira > Santa Maria de Lamas > Valada
Located in the heart of Santa Maria de Lamas, the museum is integrated into the serene environment of Santa Maria de Lamas Park.
Its location, next to the Church Square (Largo da Igreja), makes it a central reference point in the village.
This museum was born from the collecting spirit of Henrique Alves de Amorim, an industrialist connected to the cork sector who, from the 1950s onwards, dedicated himself to gathering a vast collection of pieces.
It represents a particular example in Portuguese museography, in the way a private collection gave rise to a public access institution, donated by Henrique Amorim to the Casa do Povo de Santa Maria de Lamas in 1959.
The museum houses a remarkably diverse collection, resulting from its founder's passion for collecting. The rooms reveal sets of pieces ranging from Sacred Art, with emphasis on religious imagery, gilt carving, and liturgical furniture, to Ethnography and Natural Sciences.
It also includes collections of Portuguese Statuary, Ceramics, and Civil Furniture, presenting a typological and temporal variety. This exhibited diversity, sometimes without an apparent connection at first glance, constitutes a particular characteristic of this space.
Popularly known as the "Cork Museum," this space dedicates special attention to this material that so profoundly marks the region's history and economy. The founder's connection to the cork industry is clear in the collections.
It is possible to discover a collection of cork articles, as well as old machinery that bears witness to the industrial archaeology of the sector. Cork is presented here not only as a raw material but as a central element of local and cultural identity, including replicas of collection pieces created from this material.
The Santa Maria de Lamas Museum is not just an exhibition venue, but an active cultural space. It has been undergoing study and reorganization since 2004, seeking to enhance and interpret its vast collection.
It positions itself as a point of reflection and research on local and Portuguese heritage. Its educational services offer dynamic ways to engage with the collections, promoting knowledge of art and cultural and industrial heritage, with a particular connection to the theme of cork and sustainability.
Integrated into the Portuguese Museum Network (Rede Portuguesa de Museus), this constantly evolving space contributes to deepening and disseminating the richness of its collections and the stories they tell.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 40.9772839,-8.5709774
Coordinates DMS: 40°58'38.2"N 08°34'15.5"W
Weather Santa Maria de Lamas
On-duty Pharmacy Santa Maria de Lamas
